by Robyn Carr
“Another surprise. You dance?”
“I think that might be overly optimistic,” he said. “I do something. I’ll try not to hurt you.”
Lilly came out of the house, wiping her hands on her apron. “Here, Mel, let me take her off your hands. I’ll put her to bed.”
Mel stood with the baby in her arms and walked into the house, Lilly right behind her. She turned and placed the baby in Lilly’s arms. Then she leaned toward Lilly and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “You have a wonderful family,” Mel said. “I think you’ll find just the right time to tell them.”
* * *
Mel made an appointment at the Grace Valley clinic. She was surprised to learn that both doctors were available, so she requested the OB. Prenatal consult, she said. “We’ll go ahead and put your patient with Dr. Stone,” the receptionist said, and Mel did not correct her. After all, she’d been there before with a couple of pregnant women for ultrasounds and they knew her as the midwife upriver. After seeing a few patients, Mel headed for Grace Valley in the afternoon.
It had only been a short time since the gathering at the Stones’ house and she could no longer deny the truth. She was pregnant. She already knew it. They had plenty of pregnancy tests on hand at Doc’s and she’d used one. Then another one. And another. Half of her hoped it was wrong, the other half was afraid it was.
When she got to the clinic, June was hanging around the reception desk. “Hey, there.” She leaned as if looking around Mel. “I thought you were bringing in a prenatal consult?”
“Yeah,” Mel said. “Me.”
June’s eyes grew momentarily round, surprised.
“It must be the water,” Mel said with a shrug.
“Come on back. You’re with John, and as you know, our nurse is on maternity leave. Want me to stand in or keep out of your business?”
Mel felt a shudder of nervous emotion. “Please, come with me. I think I need to explain a few things,” she said.
“Oh, boy,” June said, draping an arm around her shoulders. “Sounds like it might be a little complicated.”
“Not a little,” Mel answered.
John came out of the back and said, “Hey, Melinda. You bring me a prenatal consult?” Before she could answer, June inclined her head toward Mel. “Oh,” John said. “Well, first things first—June, set her up in there. Let’s get the facts.”
“Okay,” Mel said, suddenly meek and nervous. “But I already know.”
“Don’t try to make my job so easy,” he said with a laugh. “There’s no challenge in that.”
Mel went into the exam room where she found a gown and sheet. She undressed and sat up on the table, waiting. How was she supposed to feel about this? She’d been desperate for a baby, and now she was having one. Why did it feel so damn confusing? As though something had gone wrong, when in reality it had finally gone right.
But this wasn’t what she had planned. And she knew it wasn’t what Jack had planned—he’d offered to take care of their birth control needs. Oh, brother, was he going to be surprised.
John came in, June on his heels. “How are you feeling, Mel?”
“Besides terribly confused? A little nauseous in the morning.”
“Damnest thing, isn’t it? But you’re keeping food down?”
“Yep.”
June set up the instruments and pap slide while John got her blood pressure. “Want to talk first or second?” he asked her.
“Second.”
“Okay. June—can you fire up the ultrasound? Thanks. Mel, lie back and slide down for me, okay?” He guided her feet into the stirrups and kept hands on her legs in case she slid too far and accidentally fell. When her position was solid, he took his place on his stool and snapped on the rubber gloves. He inserted the speculum. “You know how far along?”
“Three months,” she said, her voice quieter than usual. “Approximately.”
“Congratulations,” he said. Beside her the ultrasound bleeped as it warmed up. He pulled out the speculum after the pap slide was complete and gently palpated the uterus, measuring for size. “You’re almost as good at this as I am, Mel,” he said. “You have reached the right approximate diagnosis. Good. Everything’s good.” He pulled the wand from the ultrasound; because this was an early pregnancy he would do an internal probe for a better reading as opposed to running the probe over her still flat belly. “Turn your head, Mel,” he said. “Beautiful,” he added.
She looked at the monitor. Tears slid out of her eyes and into the hair at her temples. There it was, a small mass, limbs just visible to the practiced eye, moving around inside of her. They watched the new life for a little while and she gave a hiccup of emotion, moving a trembling hand to cover her mouth.
“Just about twelve weeks,” John said. “Out of the miscarriage woods. We’ll print you out a picture, though the view is going to be lots better in another few weeks.”
He removed the probe and helped her to sit up. June leaned a hip on the counter and John returned to his stool.
“You’re in perfect health,” her doctor said.
June handed Mel a tissue. “I’ve been there, Mel,” June said. “Believe me.”
Finally John said, “What’s the matter, Mel? How can we help?”
She blotted her eyes. “I’m sorry to do this to you, but it’s just so complicated.”
John reached out to her and gave her knee a squeeze. “It probably isn’t as complicated as you think.”
“Oh, wait,” she said with a weak, embarrassed laugh. “How about I start by telling you I’m hopelessly infertile.”
He gave a little laugh. “Let’s see—you have a uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes... And I’ve heard this business of not being able to get pregnant from pregnant women before.”
“And I went through three years of infertility treatment, including surgery, without success. We even had one very expensive, very failed attempt at in vitro.”
“Well, that puts an interesting spin on things. Maybe you should back up a little. You don’t have to talk to us, Mel. It’s up to you.”
“No, I want to. I need advice. I’m a mess. See—before moving up here from L.A., I was married. My husband was a doctor—we often worked together. We tried desperately to have a baby. He was killed when he happened into a robbery in progress. That was a year and three months ago. Almost exactly. I came up here looking for a simpler life, a safer life. I just wanted to start over.”
John shrugged. “Kind of looks like you found what you were looking for.”
She laughed. “Virgin River isn’t all that simple. But yes, in some important ways, I found what I was looking for,” she agreed. “Of course, this wasn’t planned. I didn’t think it was possible for me to get pregnant.”
“Is the problem Jack?” June asked.
“Yes, but he doesn’t know it. He’s so wonderful, but he knew from the beginning that I wasn’t quite over my husband. I adore Jack—you can’t imagine—but I still haven’t gotten to that point where I feel free to move on to—” She took a breath. “To another man.” They gave her a moment and another tissue. “This is supposed to be my baby with my husband. The one we tried so hard to have.” She blew her nose.
June stepped forward and took her hand. “It seems apparent that Jack loves you. And that he’s a good man.”
“Good with children,” John put in.
“Whether you planned to or not,” June said with a shrug, “it appears you have moved on. At least in some ways.”
“The last time I gave my heart and soul to a man, he died,” she said with a sniffle. Then she lowered her head and a couple of tears fell on the hands folded in her lap. “I don’t think I could survive something like that again.”
June stepped forward and took her into her arms and John was quick to join her. They
comforted her for a minute. Then John gave her shoulders a squeeze and said, “Mel, I like Jack’s chances. Five wars couldn’t kill him.”
“Five wars?” June asked.
John shrugged. “You didn’t know that?”
“I knew he was in the marines!”
“Men actually do talk,” John said.
“That husband of mine,” she groused. “He’s so badly trained!”
“I’m so confused,” Mel said. “I don’t really know what to do!”
“Naw, that’s not true. It’s a done deal, Mel,” John said. “Now you just have to be a little kind to yourself and work through it. You wanted a baby real bad, and you’re having one. Jack—he doesn’t know?”
“No. He knows I’m widowed—he’s the only one who knows in Virgin River. But he doesn’t know how hard I tried for a baby. He’s been so supportive of me in my grieving moments—he hasn’t said a word to anyone, because I asked him not to. It’s easier, you know—when people don’t look at you that way. Like you might be in constant pain. But,” she said, “he also offered to take care of our birth control concerns, and of course I told him I had it covered. I was absolutely sure I couldn’t get pregnant. God, I’d never do this to a man!”
“He’s a good man, Jack. He’s going to understand.”
“He’s going to think I tricked him, isn’t he? I mean, he’s forty!”
“Yeah, lot of that going around, too,” June said. “I remember dealing with some of these same issues when I found out I was pregnant. Jim was over forty when I broke it to him that he was going to be a father. I was afraid he’d bolt.”
“I had surgery to remove endometriosis, had my tubes blown out, took hormones, took my temperature every day for two years...” She hiccupped. “We tried everything. Mark wanted a baby as badly as I did. I’m telling you—I’m completely sterile!”
“Welll....” they both said.
“It’s the funniest thing,” John said. “Nature suffers to fill a void. I can’t believe how many miraculous pregnancies I’ve seen...”
“What if Jack is furious? Who would blame him? I mean, he hasn’t even been in a serious relationship, and here I come. Bouncing into town, telling him I have the birth control issue covered. What if he just says, no, thank you?”
“Something tells me he’s not going to say that,” John said. “But there’s only one way to find out. And—at three months—I’d recommend you not wait much longer.”
“I’m afraid,” she said quietly.
“Of Jack?” June asked, shocked.
“Jesus, of everything! I’m not even sure I should be here! From the beginning, I thought it was a mistake, making such a big change. I’m a city girl.”
“You’d never know it,” June said. “You seem to fit in just fine.”
“Some days I think this place was just what I needed. Other days I ask myself what I’m doing here. Not only that, do you know how scary it is to think of being committed again and opening myself up to the pain that follows when something goes terribly, terribly wrong? I’m afraid to move on—even though you’re right—I already have. I still cry sometimes—over my dead husband. How can I ask another man to put up with that?” She drew in a jagged breath. “At the very least, we should have been able to plan for a possible baby before...”
June held her hand. “Hardly any of us manages to work things out that neatly,” she said. June lifted Mel’s chin with a finger and looked into her eyes. “I think you should try to remember two things—you have a baby inside you now, a baby you longed for. And a good man back in Virgin River. Go with it, Mel. You’ll know what to do.”
* * *
Mel knew John and June were right. It was important to face this head-on and tell Jack as soon as possible. Let him have time to react. Respond. When she got back to Virgin River, she intended to go straight to the bar. But there, in front of Doc’s, was a car she recognized. Anne and Jeremy Givens. It was her time.
When she got inside she found the Givenses with Doc, waiting in the kitchen with a cup of tea. “So this is it?” Mel asked.
“I think so,” Anne said. “I’ve been in labor all day, and now I’m having contractions less than five minutes apart and some spotting. That’s when you said to call, right?”
“That’s what we decided. Would you like to come upstairs, settle in and let me check you?”
“I’m scared,” Anne said. “I didn’t think I would be.”
“Darling, there is nothing in the world to be afraid of. You’re going to sail through this. Jeremy, why don’t you let me get Anne comfortable and then you can come upstairs.”
“But I want to be there for everything!” he said.
Mel laughed in amusement. “She’s just going to get undressed, Jeremy. I bet you’ve been there for that about a million times.” She took Anne’s suitcase and her arm. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go have a baby.”
Once settled in, Anne proved to be only four centimeters dilated. Back at the hospital in L.A. they would call that the price of admission—anything less than four centimeters and you were sent home to labor a little longer. Mel observed a couple of contractions and they were coming strong and long. That business about sailing through was perhaps overly optimistic.
Jeremy was at his wife’s side as soon as he was invited and, unlike Darryl, he was completely prepared for the rigors of labor. This couple actually had had some birthing training. Mel told Jeremy to walk his wife up and down the upstairs hallway and left Anne in his able hands to go downstairs to use the phone to call Jack.
“Hi,” she said. “I have a delivery, so I’m not coming to the bar.”
“You think it’ll be long?” he asked.
“There’s no telling. She hasn’t progressed very far yet.”
“Can I bring you anything? Something to eat?”
“No, Jack, not for me. Doc can walk across the street if he wants to. But listen—my instinct tells me maybe he shouldn’t have a whiskey tonight.”
“Don’t worry about Doc—his instincts are pretty good, too. Mel? My door will be unlocked.”
“Thank you,” she said. “If we finish up before morning, I’ll sneak into your room. Would that be all right?”
He laughed his low, sexy laugh. “It’s always all right, Melinda. I might not be able to sleep for hoping.”
“I’ll hope, too—but for Anne’s sake, not yours or mine.”
Anne’s blood pressure was stable and her labor was difficult. Three hours later, in spite of walking, squatting and laboring, she was still only at four centimeters. At midnight she was at a possible five. Doc suggested a Pitocin drip and breaking her water, which Mel had just been considering. Her contractions were coming every two minutes. Near midnight Mel checked her and with great relief, found that she had progressed to eight centimeters. But then, just thirty minutes later, she was back at five. Mel had been down this road before—the cervix had swollen and appeared as though it was shrinking. That indicated they might not be able to have a vaginal birth. She examined Anne during a contraction when her cervix widened and literally tried to hold her cervix open to the great discomfort of the patient, but it just wasn’t working. Anne was wet with sweat and growing more exhausted by the minute.
It was three-thirty in the morning when Mel made the call to John Stone. “God, I’m sorry to do this to you,” she said. “I have a delivery that might be going south. I’ve got a patient who’s been laboring for hours, stuck at five. Her cervix advanced to eight and swelled back to five. She’s not progressing. We could ride this out, but mother is wilting and I have no indication that... I think it’s very possible the baby’s not going to fit. I suspect I’m going to need a cesarean.”
“Did you pit her?”
“Yeah. Pitocin running and I broke her water.”
�
�Okay, stop the pit, turn her on her left side. How long has she been laboring, stuck at four or five?”
“Ten hours with me. She labored at home for about eight.”
“Have you tried stretching the cervix?”
“Unsuccessfully,” she said. “Our ultrasound at your clinic showed a competent pelvis and average-size baby.”
“Things change,” he said. “Any fetal distress?”
“Not yet. The doptone shows a strong, regular, even heart rate, but mother’s pressure is up a bit.”
“You could ride this out awhile, but if she’s exhausted, I vote for not waiting. I’ll meet you at Valley. Can you make the drive or do you need helicopter transport?”
“We’ve got some real good shocks on that Hummer,” she said. “Either way, she’s an hour or more from the hospital. I’ll wake Jack. Get his help.”
Mel checked Anne once more; she had finally made six centimeters, but she was weakening. Anne’s heart rate was increasing and the baby’s had dropped just slightly. Jeremy was growing nervous and pale despite the number of times Mel reassured him that this wasn’t unusual. It was starting to look like even if the baby was going to fit, Anne might not have the energy to push him out.
It was 4:00 a.m. when Mel called Jack. He didn’t sound as though he’d been asleep. “Jack, I’m going to have to transport my patient to Valley Hospital for a cesarean. John’s going to meet us there. I could use some help.”
“Be right there,” he said.
“I’ll try to get her downstairs and then if you’ll—”
“No, Mel,” Jack said. “Leave her where she is. I’ll get her downstairs. I wouldn’t want both of you to fall.”
“Okay, sure. Thanks.”
Then she went back to her patient. Although Doc was standing by, this was Mel’s case and a decision like this was entirely hers. “Anne,” she said, gently brushing the hair away from her soaking brow. “We’re going to transport you to Valley Hospital for a C-section....”
“Nooo,” she cried. “I want to have the baby normally.”
“Nothing abnormal about a C-section,” she said. “It’s a good operation, and it keeps you and the baby out of distress. Fortunately, we have the time so you’re not at major risk. But with the distance to the hospital, we shouldn’t wait until you are. It’s going to be fine, Anne.”